The present invention relates, in general, to a package for an electronic component and, more particularly, to such a package having at least one offset lead.
An electronic component such as a sensor formed on a semiconductor die requires some final package to encapsulate and protect the component. The package protects the die from adverse environmental elements such as humidity or corrosive chemicals. Typically, the final package containing a sensor is mounted to a printed circuit board for electrical connection to other circuit elements in a final sensing application.
In the case of certain sensors, such as accelerometers, it is further desirable that the final package used to mount the accelerometer to the printed circuit board provide resistance against the vibratory environment of the application. This is important for an accelerometer because excessive sensitivity to vibration of low frequencies, such as might occur in an automotive application, can lead to false activation of an air bag electrically coupled to the accelerometer. Prior packages have used external supports protruding from the package and mounting to the printed circuit board to increase the rigidity of the mounted package structure. However, it would be desirable to have a rigidly-mounted package that does not require such extensive external supports. These external supports increase the difficulty of manufacture of the final packaged product and increase the footprint or surface area required to mount the package to the printed circuit board.
The prior packages noted above provide the accelerometer die with a vertically-mounted orientation relative to the printed circuit board, as is necessary for certain air-bag applications in current automotive side-door applications. It is further desirable to have an improved package for a sensor that permits vertical mounting of a die while removing the external supports required on the prior packages.
Accordingly, there is a need for an improved package for a semiconductor die that provides improved rigidity without the use of external supports and further provides the capability to mount the die with a vertical orientation.